PHILADELPHIA — Sunbury Press has released Between Good and Evil, R. Michael Phillip’s detective thriller — the first Auburn Notch Mystery.

Promise Flynn is an overly impulsive Metro Detective whose disregard for procedure finally resulted in her being shot and left for dead during an investigation. To repair her bruised ego and splintered confidence she abandons the callous dark alleys of Chicago to patrol the quiet, birch-lined streets of Auburn Notch—a favorite vacation spot of her youth. For two years everything was idyllic, until the body of a young girl found in the abandoned asylum outside of town awakens the insecurities she thought her new life would insulate her from.

As the new Sheriff she begins her investigation refusing to accept the similarities between the young woman’s death and her own case, oblivious to being unexpectedly recognized and penciled in at the top of a clever murderer’s To-Do list. Her internal struggle intensifies when a discredited crime reporter from the past suspiciously arrives in town to resurrect his threadbare reputation, along with an FBI agent chasing down a lead in a cold case. Both men quickly become entangled in Flynn’s investigation and her attempts to finally put her past to rest.

Flynn reluctantly accepts the murder of the young girl might be the work of the two men responsible for her hasty departure from Chicago, but Agent MacGregor insists the evidence points to a man he’s been chasing. As the rising current of her past threatens to pull her under, Flynn finds herself unprepared for option three.

EXCERPT:
“Why are we b–back here? I hate this p–place. Why here?”

There was no answer. Glaring back in the reflection of the broken pane of glass in front of him was the dismissive, malevolent smile he received for most of his objections.

“S–say something!”

Nothing. Just a nod towards the task waiting behind him.

He lowered his head, leaning against the peeling, brown trim, tapping his knife against the shard remains of a windowpane. He cupped his neck with his hand, slowly rubbing the back of his neck, trying to calm his escalating nervousness. He looked over his shoulder and then at his watch, the second hand clicking past each of the illuminated dots above the hours. He couldn’t put it off any longer. The pale sliver of the moon resting just below the dense, gray storm clouds drifting to the east cast enough light to illuminate the second-floor room. It was a room best left in the dark. A room the innocence of day would find disturbing. A room long past its time for being of comfort to anyone. It was time.

In the center of the room a metal gurney rose up from the dust, its white paint yellowed and chipped with age, the leather straps and dark-brown stains hinting at a more sinister than assistive medical use. The large, thin-spoke, back wheels and angle iron frame attested to its pre-war age. Like the building it remained in, the medical conveyance for the mentally insane was abandoned decades before the young woman strapped to its cold surface entered into this world.

The young woman’s attempts to call out were futile, muffled by the cloth gag she franticly tried to bite through. Her clenched fists struggled against the coarse leather, her head rolling from side to side looking for any sign of a sympathetic face.

He ignored the desperate rattling of the old gurney, turning his attention back to the night sky.

“It’s not like you haven’t done this before.”

“S–stop it. Just stop it. I’ll d–do it when I’m ready.”

“You say that now, but you’re acting just like you did in Chicago. Sniffling coward.”

“S–stop calling me that! Th–that was different. She was a c–cop.”

“Was? So you think she’s dead? Maybe, maybe not.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Michael is a classically trained artist turned mystery writer. By combining his creative talents with a passion for mysteries he conceived his first series—The Ernie Bisquets Mysteries. It introduced Ernie Bisquets, a retired London pickpocket who decided he was going to assist the London police with there most difficult cases—whether they want his help or not. Michael has completed 3 books in the series, and has plans for at least five additional books.

Michael travels a bit, especially to Great Britain, but also has a fondness for New England. He spent many winters in the shadow of the White Mountains, skiing and enjoying the beautiful countryside. Those fond memories are the backdrop now for the new Auburn Notch Mysteries being published by Sunbury Press. The main character is Sheriff Promise Flynn—an ex-metro detective who left a dark past and her big-city detective shield behind and moved to a small New England town. What follows is anything but therapeutic.

When not painting or writing Michael is an avid antique collector, filling his current home—an 1894 Queen Ann Victorian he is restoring with his wife and son—with an assortment of antiques from around the world. Michael also enjoys cooking, working in the garden, and playing in the yard with their two rescues, Beau and Pup.

Mark Ohlnick believes he is living the quintessential American dream: dog in the yard, cushy office job, a beautiful wife, and a great group of friends. Until Stan, Mark’s neighbor, makes him question just how happy his little bubble really is, not to mention the realization that his marriage may not be as perfect as he thought.

After a wild party at his friend Jeremy’s house, Mark is faced with deep temptation and the fear of getting caught. Telling himself that he really doesn’t want to hurt his wife and just needs a little excitement in his life, he takes Stan’s advice and hires Rabid Philanderers Inc., a high-tech surveillance company claiming to save marriages—by facilitating an affair. Little does he know that a whirlwind of trouble and grief is about to ensue. Mark must work hard to right his wrongs and undo the deadly mess that Vesta Rae Stubianski, the mysterious and beautiful woman who runs RPh Inc., has unleashed on Mark and his circle of friends before it’s too late.

A suspense thriller that doesn’t take itself too seriously, Rabid Philanderers, Inc. offers a raw twist on infidelity and the dangers of taking love for granted.

EXCERPT:She’s faking it.

Hunched between his wife’s legs, Mark looked down and glimpsed something he didn’t like. Mickey had her eyes open; normally they were closed during sex. They stared past him, fixed and blank. Worse than that was her recovery when she realized he was looking at her. She blinked and then uttered a loud groan bordering on a yodel. This performance was followed by a boisterous exclamation: “Oh, wow!”

She’s faking it.

Mark finished and rolled onto his side. He stole a glance at Mick. She was staring at the ceiling while at the same time tidying herself up with a Kleenex. Standard procedure.

“Everything all right?” he asked.

She tossed him a smile. “Sure—that was great, babe. How are you?”

“Good. You just seemed a little distracted there at the end.”

She rose and stepped into a pair of pink panties. She didn’t need to put on her shirt because she’d never taken it off. She’d quit bothering with that years ago. Standard procedure.

She shrugged. “Well, I was a little, I guess. I can’t get my novel out of my head. The protagonist is kind of a dick, but I want him to be a sympathetic character, too. I’m just trying to wrap my mind around him.”

He swung his legs off the bed. “So if you call out the wrong name, I shouldn’t worry?”

She laughed, pulling on faded jeans. Gave him the thumbs up. “Right!”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Nancy Williams is a 1990 graduate of Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa with a BA in English. Her first novel, Hawkmoon, was published by Loon In Balloon, Inc., a Canadian press, in 2009. They also purchased her second novel, Grace, in 2010 but never released it. Hawkmoon was a finalist for the 2010 Colorado Humanities Book Award. Grace won first prize in the Historical Fiction category at the Pikes Peak Writer’s Conference Paul Gillette Writer’s Contest.

Irish Spring is a contemporary action/adventure novel in which a new terrorist group–the Council For Restored Nations-seeks to forcibly revise international borders along ethnic/linguistic/religious lines. They start their campaign in Ireland by using an American tour group as deadly props to achieve their goals. But their plan is resisted by Irish security, compromised by the IRA, and challenged by Derry Greene, the investigator for Tramerica, the American tour operator. Greene is sent to Ireland to clear the company of responsibility for charges of any acts of terrorism and to resolve whether any member of the tour group is working with the mysterious Council.

Greene teams up with Gail Foley, an attractive female Irish security agent, as the tour continues its itinerary despite the assassination of a secret American agent embedded in the group and bombs planted at sightseeing attractions. In the process, Greene and Foley act to determine, in their own way, the mounting suspicions about some tour members. But then the IRA, which came in for blame for lethal incidents during the ongoing tour, acts to clear itself.

Derry and Foley become attracted to each other during this event-filled journey in which they are kidnapped, subjected to humiliating sexual situations, and ultimately forced to make statements supporting the Council.

EXCERPT:
I was reading a paperback mystery in my window seat, high above the Atlantic Ocean, when a slim blue-suited stewardess bent forward and said in a low tone, “Mr. Greene, the captain would like to see you. There’s a message for you.”

My one seatmate, a middle-aged man who had been engrossed with spreadsheets on his laptop computer, gave me a look of curiosity as I excused myself to get into the aisle.

We were bound for Shannon Airport in Ireland. Eighteen of the passengers on the fully booked flight were members of a seven-day tour to Ireland. I wasn’t an official escort, but every once in a while I went along on a tour as part of my job with Tramerica as a special public relations executive and general troubleshooter. I hadn’t been to Ireland in a long time and I was sure the country had changed a good deal, economically and culturally, and the two often dovetailed. Tramerica, as one of the largest tour operators in the U.S. if not the world, offered tours to just about every region of the world including Antarctica.

Many of the passengers we saw as we threaded our way through the tourist class into first class were dozing, chatting, and reading. Hardly anyone glanced at me. Company policy dictated that I travel in tourist class just like other people in the tour. Clear blue and cloudless skies appeared brokenly as I passed windows.

The stewardess knocked on the cockpit door, which was locked for security reasons. I was let in with the stewardess returning to her post near the galley. The door was secured again from the inside of the cockpit after she left.

“We received this message from your company,” the captain, a burly man with a heavy sheaf of grayish hair, said in a gravelly tone. His co-captain, a younger man with blacker hair, gave me a quick glance. I had been in cockpits before, but I was always impressed with the array of instruments staring at me like misshapen metal eyes. What I wasn’t used to seeing, and the sight was ominous, was a revolver lying within easy reach next to the co-captain.

I read the message that came from Tramerica: “Member of tour group may be involved with terrorists. Bomb a possibility. Follow captain’s instructions. Be alert but don’t alarm passengers.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jack Adler is a writer/journalist/teacher based in Los Angeles.

He has had numerous nonfiction and fiction books published. He’s also had plays produced, one published, and has received a grant from the Yaddo Foundation. He teaches various writing courses at UCLA Extension and online for the Writer’s Digest University.

When not researching material, and writing, he likes to create collages. He often pretends to speak Finnish with Barbro, his Helsinki-born wife, or take an easier option by playing with their dog, Chewie. You can see more about him on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Amazon Books.

A tale of greed, betrayal, and vengeance, CHOICE OF ENEMIES is the first in a series of espionage novels featuring Nathan Monsarrat, a retired Central Intelligence Agency deep cover operative with an extensive knowledge of black gold and expertise in weapons, women, and Benjamins.

Light sweet crude is the mother’s milk of the Niger Delta. As the price for each barrel of oil rises on the international markets and the stakes for securing the black gold increase, a consortium of American oil companies and the Central Intelligence Agency plot to secure the flow of the crude. In Africa, though, plans unravel as quickly as cheap socks, and promises between partners have the lifespan of a mayfly.

Nathan, now a Dean at a small college in Massachusetts, is visited by his former mentor at the Agency, who offers him a blunt choice: either travel to the Dark Continent to lay the groundwork for the coup d’état, or condemn the woman who saved his life to a brutal execution. Out of options, he returns to Africa, where he discovers that the Agency plans to reward his services with an oil soaked grave.

Assisted by a coterie of new and old allies, including a beautiful vor with a thirst for power and a yeshiva bocher with a fondness for Armani suits, as well as his own sharp intelligence, considerable wit, and substantial charm, Nathan parries the Agency, circumvents the consortium, and exacts his own vengeance. In doing so, he learns that his choice of friends is as important as his choice of enemies.

EXCERPT:
In the cool of the African dawn, six armored Suburbans bulled through the sodden Delta jungle toward Bonny Island. In their wake, whirlwinds of red dirt billowed upward toward the crown canopy. Inside the vehicles, frigid air filtered the jungle stench of rot and decay. Felix Sanhedrin, a twenty-five-year veteran of covert operations in Africa and the Middle East, sat on the rear bench of the convoy’s second Suburban like Allan Quatermain returned to the Dark Continent. White linen slacks, a blue Oxford shirt, a silk ascot, and a freshly pressed, khaki bush jacket adorned his thin frame. A device more computer than chronometer rested on his left wrist. His felt slouch hat boasted a faux leopard-skin band, and his canvas jungle boots gleamed. A Glock 19 nested in a leather holster on his right hip.

Sanhedrin’s new boots rested atop two green, canvas duffel bags stuffed with Benjamin Franklins, and he carried with him, like a talisman, the blessings of the Mandarins who guided the operations of the Central Intelligence Agency in Langley, Virginia. Despite their stated policy to never negotiate with the enemies of the United States, Sanhedrin had convinced the éminences grises to ransom his assistant, Nathan Monsarrat, from the rebel group called Fighters Against Terror in Africa, or FATA.

He issued orders like a young boy presenting Santa Claus with his Christmas list. “First rule: I’m in charge, and my word is law. Second rule: we take only Monsarrat with us. Final rule: my money’s bought your silence. Neither you nor your shooters nor your medics will speak of this mission to anyone. Never repeat, never. Capish, my new friend?”

Next to Sanhedrin, Mark Palmer wore funereal black, a shooter’s vest, tee shirt, tactical pants, jungle boots, baseball cap, Nomex gloves, and sunglasses. Years beneath the African sun had braised his face and arms. He was clean shaven, and his hair was cut in a brown bristle. Military tattoos covered both his forearms, and blue veins latticed his knotted muscles. He carried an M4 rifle, a brace of Heckler and Koch P30 pistols in nylon holsters strapped to his thighs, a combat knife, commo gear, and four P30 magazines looped onto his belt. The shooter’s vest held extra M4 mags.

He spoke with a soft, Southern drawl. “Five by five, Mr. Scarnagh. No worries. We were never here.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Born in Lowell, Massachusetts, M. A. Richards received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater Studies from Connecticut College and his Master of Arts degree in English from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. During a career as a Cultural Attaché in the Department of State that spanned more than two decades, he served in Baghdad, Jerusalem, Lagos, Moscow, Seoul, Tel Aviv, and Washington, D.C. He also served at U.S. Pacific Command in Honolulu as the Special Advisor to the Commander. He speaks Arabic, Hebrew, Korean, and Russian.

FROM THE AUTHOR:
A true labor of love, CHOICE OF ENEMIES grew from my 24(+) years as a Cultural Attaché with the Department of State. During my years as a diplomat, I spent much time in Africa and worked in many countries, including Nigeria, South Africa, and Namibia. My first-hand experiences and adventures (and misadventures) were a petri dish for incubating the story. I’d like to say the novel sprung entire and polished from my head, like Athena springing fully armored from the forehead of Zeus, but all that the birth of CHOICE OF ENEMIES had in common with that particular piece of mythology was the feeling of an axe cleaving my brain. First novels are notoriously difficult to bring to fruition, and this one took eighteen months to write, but like any difficult child who survived a tough start, I am very proud of the book and its hero, Nathan Monsarrat. He’s a good man, steady, dependable, and smart, but not without neuroses. Still, if I had to go into a dark alley at night in one of the planet’s nastier shitholes to meet a scumbag like Felix Sanhedrin (Monsarrat’s bête noire), I would want Nathan on my six.

Sunbury Press has released John E. Wade II’s memoir The Bipolar Millionaire. In interviews about his most recent work, Wade has expressed his hope that, “[my memoir] will diminish the stigma surrounding mental illness.”

About the Book:
John E. Wade II, retired CPA, author, investor, television producer, and philanthropist, reveals in his memoir, The Bipolar Millionaire, his personal struggle with bipolar disorder and how he has succeeded in living a balanced and blessed life, despite his mental illness. Wade takes the reader through his family experiences, political aspirations and beliefs, spiritual journey, relationship trials and errors, all while battling mental illness. Through his religious beliefs, personal perseverance, and the help of friends, family, and his mental health professionals, Wade lives an active, creative, and successful life. His memoir doesn’t end with contentment at achieving a balance in his life, however. Instead, Wade expresses a determined vision for the future, aiming to assist humanity in what he describes as achieving heaven on earth through his writing, political and spiritual endeavors.

About the Author:
John E. Wade II, born in Decatur, Alabama and longtime New Orleans resident, is a philanthropist, an investor, and a retired accountant, who is an active member of his church. Wade began writing in 1998 and has published many essays, blogs, and book reviews, as well as one book filled with his own essays, Deep Within My Heart, and three books that he has co-authored: How to Achieve a Heaven on Earth, Glimpses of Heaven on Earth, and Ronald Reagan’s Wisdom for the Twenty-First Century. In his free time Wade likes to travel the world and learn about other cultures. He also enjoys exploring his hometown of New Orleans, enjoying the unique food, architecture, and music. Wade also regularly attends New Orleans Saints games as well as football games at Mississippi State University, where the Davis Wade Stadium was named after his father.

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Sunbury Press has released the bestsellers list for December, 2015. Kyle ALexander Romines took the top spot with his novel Keeper of the Crows. Keith Rommel’s The Cursed Man took the #2 spot.

SUNBURY PRESS – Bestsellers for December, 2015 (by Revenue)

Rank

Last Month

Title

Author

Category

1

18

The Keeper of the Crows

Kyle Alexander Romines

Thriller Fiction

2

—

The Cursed Man

Keith Rommel

Psycho Thriller

3

9

Pit Bulls

Anthony Julian

History

4

1

Mary Sachs: Merchant Princess

Barbara Trainin Blank

Biography

5

NEW

Gotham Graves Volume 1

Joe Farrell and Joe Farley

Biography

6

26

Capital Murder

Chris Papst

Investigation

7

8

Where Elephants Fought

Bridget Smith

Historical Fiction

8

16

Murder in Tuxedo Park

William Lemanski

Detective Thriller

9

11

The Closer

Alan Mindell

Sports Fiction

10

21

Amelia Earhart: The Truth at Last

Mike Campbell

History

11

2

The Penns’ Manor of Spread Eagle and the Grist Mills of the Upper Mahantongo Valley

Steve Troutman

History

12

7

The B Team

Alan Mindell

Sports Fiction

13

—

Prohibition’s Prince

Guy Graybill

History

14

—

Jesus the Phoenician

Karim El Koussa

History

15

14

That Night at Surigao

Ernie Marshall

History

16

—

Hour 30

Brandon Musgrave

Memoir

17

—

Blue Lines Up In Arms

James Craig Atchison

Detective Thriller

18

24

Dying for Vengeance

J M West

Detective Thriller

19

—

Winter of the Metal People

Dennis Herrick

Historical Fiction

20

—

Prince and the Paupers

Guy Graybill

History

21

NEW

From Blue Ground

Joe Harvey

YA Fiction

22

—

Digging Dusky Diamonds

John Lindermuth

History

23

6

Call Sign Dracula

Joe Fair

War Memoir

24

—

Bravo!

Guy Graybill

History

25

—

The Death Machine

Charles Godfrey

Historical Fiction

26

—

The Final Charge

Charles Godfrey

Historical Fiction

27

—

Pit Bulls II

Anthony Julian

History

28

—

Emeralds of the Alhambra

John Cressler

Historical Fiction

29

—

What to Do about Mama?

Barbara Matthews & Barb Blank

Self-Help

30

—

Freemasons at Gettysburg

Sheldon Munn

History

Sunbury Press closed out a record year in 2015. However, sales remained weak through the holiday season. Fourth quarter sales were up 6% over Q4 2014, but it was the weakest quarter of the year, when typically it is the strongest. Sales were up 64% year over year. Overall, a great performance tempered by the lack of a hit new release at the end.

“Keeper of the Crows” returned to the top spot thanks to author events in Louisville, KY. Keith Rommel’s “The Cursed Man” benefitted from a large order from a Hollywood producer. Tony Julian grabbed #3 with Pit Bulls and #27 with Pit Bulls 2 thanks to Christmas purchases. “Mary Sachs,” last month’s leader, slipped to 4th, but local sales remained strong. The Joe’s New York release of “Gotham Graves” debuted at #5 thanks to author events. Chris Papst’s “Capital Murder” revived to #6 as interest in the scandal renewed. Bridget Smith’s “Where Elephants Fought” held at #7 due to interest in the Vicksburg, MS area. William Lemanski’s novel “Murder in Tuxedo Park” climbed to #8 thanks to online orders. Alan Mindell grabbed #9 and #12 with “The Closer” and “The B Team” as he continued to make appearances in the San Diego area. Mike Campbell’s “Amelia Earhart: The Truth at Last” continued its streak in the top 30, reaching #10 thanks to continued interest in the lost aviatrix. Steve Troutman’s “Penns Manor” slipped to #11, as orders to the valley waned a bit. All-time best-selling author Guy Graybill returned to the rankings with “Prohibition’s Prince” #13, “Prince and the Paupers” #20, and “Bravo!” #24. Guy was very active in the 4th quarter. “Jesus the Phoenician” rolled back the stone and rejoined the bestsellers at #14. The book remains a steady seller most months. Ernie Marshall’s battleship history “That Night at Surigao” remained at #15 thanks to steady sales to naval historians. Brandon Musgrave’s “Hour 30” climbed to #16 due to college bookstore orders. “Blue Lines Up in Arms” by James Craig Atchison benefitted from author events, returning to the rankings at #17. J M West’s “Dying for Vengeance” found #18 due to sales in the Carlisle area. Dennis Herrick’s bestselling “Winter of the Metal People” granned #19 due to sales in the Southwest. Joe Harvey’s YA historical thriller “From Blue Ground” debuted at #21 and has sold well regionally. John Lindermuth dusted off “Digging Dusky Diamonds,” finding himself at #22. Joe Fair’s Vietnam memoir “Call Sign Dracula” slipped to #23. Charles Godfrey’s novels “The Death Machine” and “The Final Charge” were #25 and #26 thanks to sales to Civil War reenactors. John Cressler’s “Emeralds of the Alhambra” returned to the rankings thanks to discussion about its potential as a movie, taking #28. The Barbs’ “What to Do about Mama?” rode author events back to #29. Sheldon Munn’s “Freemasons at Gettysburg” took #30 due to regional sales.